Kids’ Motivation in Sports Your sports kids may show a fair amount of talent, but are seemingly not interested in meeting their potential. Many sports parents want to know how to motivate their kids, yet not pressure them. You’re unsure how much time you should spend reminding your kids that they … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Confidence Busters in Youth Sports Sports, at any level, are a game of confidence. Kids who have tons of confidence usually will rise above the competition. Under pressure, these kids’ performance will thrive because of their strong belief in their ability. We receive many emails from concerned sports parents stating that … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Changing Sports Kids’ Focus Young athletes want to feel like winners – whether or not they are always scoring and beating their opponents. Sports parents can help their kids feel good about their experiences simply by taking the focus off the win. David Jacobson, a spokesman for the Positive Coaching … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Dealing With Others Jealousy How do you help young athletes whose dreams in sports are undermined by others’ jealousy? In the case of Lela’s son, Frank, it’s a big challenge. Frank is a high school student and Olympic-caliber athlete in track. He is ranked nationally for his event and age group. … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How To Handle Positive Encouragement Hi, Dr. Cohn here from The Ultimate Sports Parent. This past weekend I took my 9-year-old daughter to play her 4th tennis tournament as a rookie. She played two matches total. She lost the first match, but stayed very composed. Afterward, I did everything by … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Building Confidence in Young Athletes How can parents and coaches fill a young athlete’s “emotional tank?” Coaches need to praise kids five times before they provide one piece of constructive criticism, says David Jacobson, a spokesman for the Positive Coaching Alliance, based at Stanford University. “We liken a child’s emotional … Read Sport Psychology Tip